If you’ve had a co.uk domain name for a few years you might have got email from us recently about a “reserved” .uk domain.
What’s this all about?
When Nominet, the domain registry for co.uk (and .uk and others) introduced registrations directly under .uk they put a layer of protection in place for existing holders of .co.uk domains.
The thinking was that if you had yourcooldomain.co.uk you’d either want to get yourcooldomain.uk, or at least the option to get it before anyone else could.
Of course they couldn’t maintain the “right of registration” indefinitely, and some might argue they let it run too long, so it’s expiring in the next couple of months.
If you have a co.uk domain name and got one of the emails we sent out then bear in mind that the clock is ticking on that offer. If you don’t avail of the chance to register the .uk version of your co.uk domain name you’ll lose the chance.
Once the “right of registration” expires anyone, anywhere will be able to register the .uk domain name.
If you have any questions please let us know.
The trick part is the restrictions on getting those .uk domains.
There are companies and individuals operating legitimate .co.uk domains for years, selling products or services into the UK, but without a physical presence there.
Such site operators are now faced with not being able to acquire the .uk versions of their .co.uk domains because they don’t have a UK adress to tie to the domain registration.
John
Nominet removed the UK address requirement for .uk domains back in May of last year, so it’s not an issue.
Thanks for your comment.
Michele
Thanks, Michele. I wasn’t aware of that change.